CV

January, 2024

AKU P. HEINONEN
e-mail: 

aku.heinonen@gtk.fi (official) 

aku.heinonen@helsinki.fi (adjunct professorship affiliation to UH)

heinonenaku1@gmail.com (personal)

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
2020    Docent (Adjunct professor), Petrology, University of Helsinki

2012    PhD, Geology, University of Helsinki, Department of Geosciences and Geography (June 20, 2012, details can be obtained from the office of the Faculty of Science: ml-neuvonta@helsinki.fi)

2007    MSc, Geology and mineralogy, University of Helsinki, Department of Geosciences and Geography

OTHER EDUCATION
2019–  Studies in Business Administration, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, XAMK (195 ECTS; 1/2024)

2009    Science communications training module (25 ECTS), Department of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki

LANGUAGE SKILLS   
Finnish (native), English (fluent written and oral skills), Swedish (satisfactory written and oral skills), German (rudimentary)

CURRENT OCCUPATION

2023–            Director, Science and Innovations, Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)

PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

2022–2023    Head of Science and Innovations, Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)

2017–2022    University Lecturer in Petrology, Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki
2020–2022    Director of the BSc Programme in Geosciences, University of Helsinki

2021–2022    Director of the MSc Programme in Geology and Geophysics, University of Helsinki

2016–2018   Freelancing science writer (The Finnish Association of Non-fiction Writers’ 6 month working grant, June 2016)

2016–2017    Postdoctoral Associate, Institute of Seismology, University of Helsinki, FIRE-ATT open science project (9 months, September 1, 2016 – May 31, 2017)

2012–2016    Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Department of Geosciences and Geography. Appointment in the Academy of Finland -funded project: “Magma dynamics and crystallization of A-type granite magma chambers as revealed by in situ isotopic and elemental geochemical analysis of feldspar megacrysts” (PI: Prof. O.Tapani Rämö, under a three year contract: June 1, 2012 – May 31, 2016).

2011–2012    Academic Affairs Officer, Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, 18 month appointment

2009–2011    Freelancing science journalist

2007–2011    Doctoral student, Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki. PhD position in the Academy of Finland -funded project: “Petrogenesis of Proterozoic A-type granites: the signifigance of anorthosites and associated sedimentary basins” (PI: Prof. O. Tapani Rämö)

2007    Research assistant, Department of Geology, University of Helsinki (two months)

2007    Teaching assistant, Department of Geology, University of Helsinki (three months)

2006    Field-work assistant, Au- and Ni- prospecting project in Eastern Lapland, Geological Survey of Finland, Rovaniemi office (three months)

FUNDING
2020    Ministry of Education (OKM) funding: "FIN-GEO network for development of geoscience education in Finland" ca. 497 000 € (for years 2021–2023) 

2020    PhD project funding: "Mineral chemistry of igneous apatite" 24 000 €/annum (72 000 €/three years), K.H. Renlund foundation

2019    Research project funding: "Petrological and mineral potential investigation of the Suvasvesi granitoid intrusion and associated pegmatites" 10 000 €, K.H. Renlund foundation

2016    Book project funding: “Critical high-tech –metals ja conflict minerals“ 13 000 €, Finnish association of non-fiction writers.

2011    Collaborator, Academy of Finland project SA 125-9813: “Magma dynamics and crystallization of A-type granite magma chambers as revealed by in situ isotopic and elemental geochemical analysis of feldspar megacrysts” (455 374 €, PI: Prof. O.Tapani Rämö).

AWARDS
2019   Teacher of the year award, Vasara ry

2018   Teacher of the year award, Vasara ry

2013    Doctoral Thesis titled: “Isotopic evidence for the origin of Proterozoic massif-type anorthosites and their relation to rapakivi granites in southern Finland and northern Brazil” was awarded as the best geology PhD thesis in Finland 2011–2012 by the Geological Society of Finland (March 7, 2013)

2007    Master’s Thesis titled: “Suomalaisen rapakiviassosiaation petrogeneettisen tulkinnan tarkennus LA-MC-ICP-MS-menetelmällä tehtyjen zirkonin Lu-Hf määritysten avulla” was awarded with the best master’s thesis of the year award 2007, (Department of Geology, University of Helsinki), the 2007 thesis award of the Faculty of Science  (Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki), and the 2007 thesis award of the Renlund Foundation.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
2022–                Member of the steering group: Finnish national commission of geology (SKGK)

2019–2022        Member of the board of directors: Geologia.fi -portal. (http://www.geologia.fi/)

2018–2022        Vice-member of the board: University of Helsinki (UH), Faculty of Science Election Board

2018–2020        Member of the board: UH, MSc programme in Geology and Geophysics

2018–2019        Member of the board: UH, BSc programme in Geosciences

2018–2022        Member: UH, Department of Geosciences and Geography Well-being Group

2018–2022        Member: UH, Faculty of Science Communications Group

2018–2022        Member: UH, Department of Geosciences and Geography Communications Group

2013–2014        Editor-in-chief: Geologi-magazine of the Geological Society of Finland

2013–2014        Member: Finnish Academy of Science and Letters Young Researchers Club

2011                  Member of the board: Geological Society of Finland

2010–2013        Member of the board: Department of Geosciences and Geography Council

Memberships:
The Finnish Association of Non-fiction Writers (2012–)
The Geographical Society of Finland (2012–)
The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers (2011–2018)
American Geophysical Union, AGU (2009–)
The Geochemical Society (2007–)
The Geological Society of Finland (2005–, executive committee member 2011, awarded life-long membership in 2012).

Referee duties: 
Australian Journal of Earth Sciences (2016); Bulletin of the Geological Society of Finland (2013, 2016); Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Finland (2017); Cambridge University Press (2019); Geological Survey of Finland Research Reports (2015); GFF (2016); International Journal of Earth Sciences (2015); Journal of Asian Earth Sciences (2014); Journal of Petrology (2009, 2014); Lithos (2011, 2016, 2018); Precambrian Research (2018); South African Journal of Earth Sciences (2009); Åbo Akademi, Licentiate thesis referee (2019).